Prosecuting solicitor Jennifer Fitzgerald told the hearing on Wednesday, June 1: “The complainant has four children and one is the child of the defendant.

“There had been a disagreement and the complainant was also 18 weeks pregnant at the time.

“They had been out and the defendant had been drinking and they returned home in the early hours of the morning and Miss Womble accepts slapping the defendant during an argument and she said he was not helping with the children.

“Hannah retaliated by punching her once to the cheek and at the time she was 18 weeks pregnant with twins.”

The defendant called the police and he admitted during an interview that he had been out and he had punched his partner after she had slapped him.

Hannah pleaded guilty to assault after the attack on April 30.

Defence solicitor Benjamin Strelley said: “Mr Hannah couldn’t feel more ashamed than he does about what happened and he’s deeply remorseful for his actions.”

Mr Strelley added that alcohol had influenced Hannah’s behaviour and his partner agreed he had behaved out of character during a one-off incident.

Magistrates sentenced Hannah to a 12 month conditional discharge but warned that if he commits another offence in the next year he will be re-sentenced for the assault.